θέρμη

heat

Definition

θέρμη refers to natural heat, warmth, or a period of hot weather. In its single New Testament occurrence in Acts 28:3, it describes the physical heat emanating from a fire, which a viper, driven out by the heat, fastens onto Paul's hand. The word carries no metaphorical or theological sense in the biblical text; it is used in its literal, physical sense of thermal energy. It can also refer to the heat of fever in broader Greek literature, but this usage is not attested in Scripture.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 28:3. It appears in a narrative context describing a miraculous event on the island of Malta. The usage is purely literal, referring to the heat of a fire built by Paul and his shipwrecked companions. There are no patterns of usage across different books or contexts, as it is a hapax legomenon (a word occurring only once).

Etymology

Derived from the Greek verb θέρμω (thermō), meaning 'to heat' or 'to warm.' It is the root for the English prefix 'therm-' (as in thermometer, thermal). The word is a basic noun form indicating the state or quality of being hot. Its meaning remained consistent in denoting physical heat.

Semantic Range

In the ancient Mediterranean world, fire was a primary source of heat for warmth, cooking, and light. The 'heat' (θέρμη) in Acts 28:3 would have been from an open fire, a common and essential element of daily life and survival, especially in a shipwreck scenario. The narrative uses this ordinary phenomenon to set the stage for a supernatural sign—Paul's unharmed survival from the viper's bite—demonstrating divine protection.

καῦμα (kauma, G2738) — refers more specifically to scorching heat, often of the sun (e.g., Revelation 7:16; 16:9). πυρετός (pyretos, G4446) — specifically denotes feverish heat or a fever (e.g., Matthew 8:15; John 4:52).

Word Details

Scripture References